Amateur-built ZODIAC accident near Orangeville, Illinois, May 12, 2017
On May 12, 2017, a 1997 amateur-built ZODIAC, registered N1041N, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Orangeville, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 2017
- Place
- Orangeville, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ZODIAC HD, built 1997
- Registration
- N1041N · no longer on the register · serial 6-3013-HDS
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot returned to a private airstrip after a 35-minute flight and planned to perform a touch-and-go takeoff. However, after takeoff and while climbing, the engine started to run rough and then lost power. The pilot selected a field for the forced landing, during which the airplane impacted terrain hard and then came to rest upright. An examination of the airplane revealed that the right fuel tank appeared empty, that fuel was visible in the left tank, and that only residual fuel remained in the header tank, which was breached during the accident. A fuel pump circuit breaker was found open, and the fuel selector was found in the "off" position. The examination of the engine revealed that the engine's three-bladed propeller did not exhibit rotational signatures, indicating that the engine was not running at impact. The spark plugs were removed and appeared normal. The engine was then rotated by hand, and thumb compression and continuity through the drive/valve train were established. Both carburetor float bowls were removed and were empty of fuel; no contaminants or obstructions were noted. The gascolator was removed, and only a small amount of fuel was found; the fuel pump was removed, and only minimal fuel was found. An engine test run was then conducted at power, and the engine ran for several minutes; no anomalies were noted. The fuel source was removed to see how long the engine would run on the residual fuel in the system. Within several minutes, the engine began running rough and then lost power. A postrun examination of the carburetor float bowls, fuel pump, and gascolator revealed an absence of fuel in each, similar to their condition before the engine test run. The accident is consistent with fuel starvation, likely due to the fuel not transferring from a wing fuel tank to the header tank, either due to an open fuel pump circuit or because the right wing fuel tank was empty.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fuel starvation during initial climb
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel distribution › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 560 hours in all; 97 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 3, 2007
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 196.6 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, March 21, 2010
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Bombardier ROTAX 912 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Orangeville IL
- Destination: Orangeville IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 16, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.